The Oracle
by Fairia
Summary: A mysterious man turns three characters into giants. Not much of a summary though, but hopefully you'll get the idea. UPDATE Part 2 is now uploaded. Yuri of Shadow Hearts is victim number two, taking place after the game ends.
1. The Oracle 11: A true Testament

THE ORACLE 1.1: A TRUE TESTAMENT

The battle is near.

The Man in White.

The Man of the Scythe.

It was a clear night in the Grove.

It was all black and silver

Staircases run to nowhere.

Testament. The Man of the Scythe.

The Man in White challenged him

To duel on his domain.

To prove the scythe's worth.

Testament, his eyes looked at

The Man in White's weapon:

A gun? This was what he thought.

There is no mystery in such a weapon

Not even a real way to physically use force.

Testament was a cocky being.

A man who was human,

But became some artificial device

For something or someone he did not know.

He could not see what the Man in White

Appear to be. All in white he was.

He had no face, but he had a voice.

There was no male or female behind him.

Almost like his voice except his was like

A deep well when he spoke.

Far away and dense with every word.

The Gun Man's heart is no fear.

His mission clear and bright.

Make this man think he'll win by Scythe.

Without another motion or word, the gun drove

And aimed. A goop appeared in sliver

And went straight, somewhere.

Testament defended magically without blight.

But his body and vision went on a whim

As his thinking left his brain.

He went limp with no worth

As the Man in White knew his spat

And his aim were not true weapons

But another desire that he instead brought.

The desire to see a man as a weapon

Built with his own anger and force.

Testament would be fun for this being.

A man who was human,

But became a device

For nothing or anything, he knew.

The man in scythe and black

Now appeared to be a sight he was.

A bigger face and soon a louder voice.

A giant, this man thought to himself.

A newborn giant that knelt

As high as the Man in White tall.

The giant formed a "prayer"

As his body became active than before.

Sending himself into a change he did not ask for.

He swelled, he grew, he expanded.

Everything described what was becoming.

Testament opened his eyes

And saw himself "leaving" the ground.

It became a funny thought when his vision

Expanded to find that his knelt hands stayed the same

As he saw the Man in White

Getting smaller with passing time.

He smiled and folded his arms behind him

Keeping his gun in his holster for visible sight

As if to tell him that he was shot

But not with bullets, not even the magic kind.

The bullets were in fact not so.

A strange liquid protruded from

The Man in White's side.

Another steamy day

In the kitchen.

Jam Kuradoberi balanced a plate

Full of food or two by the armful

As she scooped and mixed fried noodles

Over the hot stove.

Her restaurant was as busy as ever

Down in the busy sticks of China.

She was built like a mini goddess

As her cute face hides

Her martial arts feats,

Balancing trays, plates, anything at all

Like a limber tree.

Her outrageous and swan-like moves

Enable the piping hot food

To reach her customers in organized

And record fashion.

Even though she has a few staff

On board, she could easily manage

Her restaurant with no problem.

While balancing heavy crates

Of cabbages and rice bags,

Her ears picked up an unusual conversation

Between two men.

They appear out-of-towners

By their business suits

And government glasses hiding something odd.

Her back hid behind the swinging door

As the men continued.

They said of something odd

Taking place out in the Grove,

Not to far from Jam's restaurant.

An illegal and unknown Gear was spotted.

A Man in Bright White challenging

A wanted Gear named Testament,

Also a follower Justice, a Gear deadliest of all.

One believed that they are plotting together

And Testament was transformed

Into something greater, but was unsure if

This was any connection to Justice.

No mistakes should be made.

Jam coming away from the door

Ws left unnoticed

As she backed to the kitchen,

A scrawny waitress rushing past her

And balancing four plates, two on each arm.

She thought to herself why

A criminal like this Gear would work

For someone guy that may be another one

Unknown to even these "agents".

But she was even more curious of

What this "transformed into something greater" was.

Bounty work was already behind her

And she would rather not risk her business

To any criminal that would put her

In financial ruin.

Then again, she was still short on staff.

And realized if there was a large bounty involved,

She would hire more staff in the kitchen

With enough energy to focus

Her work and her arts at the same time.

A wonderful opportunity opened again

With a price greater than before.

But if this "great" meant greater danger,

Is it enough for her?

Or is something more a foot in the end?

Before Testament could get a word

From the Man in White,

The being disappeared.

The Gear was stranded

In the desolate grove,

Left to expand further while

His body continued along.

Slowly, he raised his one large leg up

And stood straight, as

His other bigger knee left the ground.

As fair sized as the Grove was,

It resembled now a child's toy

Hidden behind bushes for safekeeping.

Testament stood about 100 feet high,

His one foot could cover a well

As his boot toe was against the marble stairway.

His scythe nothing more than a toothpick,

Too small to be of use anymore.

The Gear was something more

In many ways and flashed a thought

Of his revenge and anger against man.

He knew he stood taller than Justice

And handling humans in his own fashion

Would not be a difficult feat.

Something for him to finally achieve,

Knowing all, even other humans and Gears,

Were nothing to him and could do

Nothing for him.

The ultimate being

Ready to play with the toys.

Unaware of anything beside his

Devious delight,

A little lady was crouching behind bushes

As she saw the giant Testament

Pick up his scythe, but between his tree limb fingers.

Her jar dropped in awe, a gasp

Escaping her breath.

Her sight craned above,

Her heart pounded, scared

Fearing she would be seen.

She almost started to question

Why she bothered looking for him.

Then, she wriggled her nose and let out

A dainty sneeze, a wind blew

As the Gear heard something faint

Below his feet.

Jam muttered a soft cry and hid further inside the bushes.

Thinking quickly, she pretended to fall asleep,

Wiping her nose tip in fain slumber.

He caught sight of her tiny body

And gingerly placed her on his palm

Outstretched and carried her up

To his face.

Already knowing she was being watched,

Jam "awoke" and gasped,

Not in a fake moment of surprise,

But at how large Testament's face appeared.

Billboard sized nonetheless,

Yet she was also…drawn.

She never knew how attractive he was.

A sullen man yet uniquely feminine

By his soft features and eyes

That hid kindness over his irritation.

She pleaded with him

To not harm her.

She was not after him for any reason.

She even refused to fight him

As if it was a battle set to win anyway.

She is nothing to you

A silent voice cried out.

The Man in White appeared.

His gun hidden away behind his cloak.

His sneer visible like window blinds

In the hot sun.

Take back what is yours

And your kinds

His words poured out again.

A whistling wail cried out

And Jam landed on the ground

Standing in front of

The Man in White.

She snapped back at him,

Stating that Testament

Was hers.

What that meant

Was anyone's guess.

But she was determined for her prize.

She flexed her fingers

Drawing him near for a fight.

The Man in White

More than gladly excepted.

Two opponents duking it out

For control of the on-looking giant Gear.

She flared a Hochifu at him,

Then retaliated with a Ryujin

As he stepped back,

Dodging the attacks.

Her forces bombarded again;

Breath of Asanagi,

The Bakushu,

Gekrin, Kenroukaku

Mawarikomi,

She kicked in every direction

He could take.

But the Man in White

Proved quick as lightening.

Removing himself from

Every skillful move

Jam fought with.

He drew out his gun again

And fired a shot,

Jam was also quick

As the bullet zoomed past her head.

She panted in shock

Unaware of his gleaming weapon.

Another bullet fired;

This time piercing her side.

Blood soaked her red bodice

And dripped red along her pink skirt.

She winced and sobbed by the hot stinging

Wound, her hands covered red.

The gun aimed for her forehead.

The Man in White's smile

Pictured death and carnage

At a defenseless victim,

Beaten down unfairly.

Hitomi!

A cry echoed the Grove.

The ground split and arose

A red ooze with a hideous face.

It clamped the Man in White.

His body dropped in a clumsy manner

And his energy dropping.

He muttered and tried to speak out.

Testament stood up to his full height,

Angry, furious, wanting something.

When he called out a cry to end

That life, the Man in White

Managed a weak smile

And flashed a bright light

Emitting from his body

And quickly disappeared.

Both Jam and Testament

Stood there is shock

Of the cowardly and unsuspecting approach.

She turned up to him finally.

Her side still hung by her hands.

She won regardless, but then

There was the matter of

How long if possible

Testament would remain this size.

It would be hard press

To bring him in,

Many times her size

He would not be easy to take down.

Once again, she asked him

How he would get out of this.

Was his plan still intact?

Strange thing was

Testament seemed defeated already.

He wanted to fight against the humans,

He already had the size and the power to match.

But it didn't seem fitting, almost

Worthless.

He knelt down beside Jam

And gently placed her in his hands again.

Jam moaned from the ongoing pain,

But she was confused as what to do next.

Then, a thought hit her as she smiled crookedly.

Jam relaxed on a make shift bed

Admiring her long right leg

In the air.

Her dainty open foot

Seemed to balance something.

"Testy" hung for dear life

Grabbing her "bigger" big toe

As Jam casually swung her leg

Back and forth, watching his

Frightful reaction with every

Pendulum swing.

A fitting bargain Jam thought

In the end when the effect wore off

On Testament and now a something for her as

Her mind lay idle,

But her body tensed

With the idea of how much fun

It would be to have

A Gear toy to play with.


	2. 21: Fusion Waltz

8

THE ORACLE 2.1: FUSION WALTZ

Part 1

It had been three months when Yuri Hyuga and his friends defeated the ageless Wizard Albert Simon and destroyed the God sent from space and the heavens. The world was in harmony again, but even then the meaning became hollow.

Everyone all went their separate ways. Zhuzhen the Sage returned to China to continue his exorcism business, the vampire Keith Valentine returned to his home the Blue Castle in Bistritz to rest again after his adventures with the group, Margarete the spy was still out there, carrying out her own espionage adventures and The London's Rats orphan leader Hailey moved to America with his long lost mother Koudela hopefully to meet his father again. Back somewhere in Europe, Yuri and Alice Elliott rode on the train heading for her mother's home in Zurich as they rested by each other's side on the quiet ride.

Before the train made its stop in France, Yuri woke to find that he was sitting by himself and Alice was not there, an empty seat waiting to be filled. The first thing that came to mind was that she wanted to walk around a bit as she was probably the first to awake. He knew she sacrificed her soul to save him from his hollowed self back in the Soul Graveyard as both faced Anton, the keeper in the Graveyard. If something awful happened to Alice, her body would not just disappear from the face of the Earth. But then, the worst came to him. As the train finally stopped, the conductor came by when Yuri was starting to worry after waiting for a few, _long _minutes. He told him about the young lady (Alice) and that she was being treated in the parlor. It appeared that she passed out on the floor and a doctor was already on board checking her right now. Yuri pushed him out of his way as he rushed to the parlor. He saw someone dressed in a white cloak that covered from head to toe. Alice was there, lying on a table built into the seats. She looked like she was sleeping, curled up with her hands by her face; she looked like a very tiny child that went to sleep wherever she fell. He tried to go nearer, but the cloaked person motioned him to stop. The mysterious person moved away from the patient and turned to face Yuri.

"_I'm very busy, young man,_"The person said with a hollow whisper that was not masculine or feminine. "_I need to work alone. I am an Oracle. I specialize in this type of condition. If I do not work alone, her condition might worsen and she could die. I know you do not want that, young man. Meet me in the shopping district in one hour and I'll tell you what I find. I suggest you have one of their drinks out in the open area._"

With a slight startle, Yuri woke up. The conductor shook him a little, telling him the train has stopped and said that the young lady already left. She wanted to tell him she'll meet him in France's shopping district. Yuri rubbed his eyes and his temples as he thought of Alice and the Oracle doctor. He wanted to punch the faceless Oracle if he had one or if he was right in front of him. Even though it was a dream, he was not going to have some know-it-all "quack" have his hands on Alice. He rather stay and watch over her than not see her at all if something _did _happen to her. Yet, he rather have her alive as much as possible, so he left without a word, already marking the dream as it was. But he knew he was going for a drink.

Part 2

It was a busy afternoon in the downtown shopping district of France. A pictorial day of women in their fancy and lacy bloomers, some were carrying umbrellas to block out any unwanted sunlight glare. Men in their fancy suits going about on business runs, store owners setting up for the afternoon and stock boys carrying boxes of vegetables, fruits and cheese to the outdoor market for their various bosses. The air was calm and cool, everything was busy and productive. The news of the large castle over the ocean in Wales traveled there as well as its destruction and submersion into the sea below.

Yuri made his way through a small crowd as walked from the train station. He hoped he could see Alice's blonde hair and blue dress suit out in the open. There was no sign of her yet. He walked for five minutes, hoping he could see her somewhere. He thought she could not be anywhere else, knowing how much they love each other and she was not the type to play hard to get.

By the time he came across an outdoor pub, Yuri was getting angry when he still did not find Alice. He passed by someone in a white business suit when he heard a small whisper behind him.

"Excuse me, young man," The voice called for him. Yuri turned around and saw the man in the white business suit looking at him and smiling. He had honey blonde hair and a handsomely chiseled face. His teeth in his smile were not quite stereotypically pearly, but were wholesome to look at. He motioned him to sit in the empty chair across from him; his ring finger gleamed with a ruby red and gold ring. "Would you sit for a spell and have a drink with me? It looks like you're lost and have something on your mind."

Yuri was a little freaked out by how this man knew what his problem was that was not this man's business.

"Are you looking for someone? A young blonde little lady perhaps?"

The man hit the target as Yuri stepped closer in curiosity.

"Yeah," Yuri said. "What about it?"

"Well, she was here sometime ago, asking me if she saw a young man in a trench coat with dark hair and . . . red eyes." The man's tone implied that it was a wonder that someone had eyes of that color.

"Really," Yuri asked as he stood by the empty chair, but did not sit down. "Do you know where she is?"

"I do." Then the smile faded. "But before I could say anything else, something strange happened."

"Strange," Yuri quipped in confusion. "Like what?"

"How strange and unfortunate for something like that to happen to a young lady, in broad daylight."

"What?"

"Someone in a white cloak appeared and snatched her away. They disappeared in a form of what looked like electricity. But before they did, I went to help her but the figure took a gun out and pointed it at me, saying 'Do not follow. Tell the boy I am in Domremy if he wants to see the girl again.' And he left. I didn't know what to do but pass the message on."

Yuri became enraged when he heard Alice was kidnapped. His hand already made a fist in anger as he knew he would have to go to this Domremy to find her. He would give this guy a piece of his mind and his knuckles if he laid a hand on Alice.

"Fine, then," Yuri clenched his teeth, "Where is this Domremy? Tell me!"

"I will tell you, young man," the business man calmly proclaimed. "But tell me . . . Do you carrying a certain burden on you."

Yuri gave him a questioned look. "A burden?"

"A burden as . . . the power of a Harmonixer?"

"How do you that?!"

Then, by a whimsical gesture from the business man, he stood and was then shrouded in a bright, white light, stringing rays of lights in every direction. The light dimmed and faded out, revealing a man in a white cloak, shrouding his face in a dark place. Yuri jumped at the sight of him; he looked exactly as he did in his dreams. Fear soon overtook him.

"_I know all, young man. Even if you did go to Domremy, you will find that you cannot reach the girl beyond your own heart's dark depth. Your fusions will not help you. All the monster's souls inside you will keep you away. She is hidden in a church in the village there. A powerful church that keeps all twisted and burdened souls away. Especially you, Harmonixer. But I can offer you salvation. If you focus on releasing the beasts inside you, you can easily move toward the church. But I will warn you. You will not be able to retrieve your souls if you should decide to do this. It is your choice, young man._"

"Hey pal, hold on! What are you trying to pull telling me this? I know a con when I see one!"

"_So, you rather go somewhere you've never heard of before without being prepared,_" The Oracle asked nonchalantly.

"I'll be prepared when I get there. If the church don't like my monsters, they can kiss my they know where to!"

Yuri started to walk away in an angry huff. The Oracle, removing something from underneath, grabbed his glazed blue gun and pulled the trigger. There was a bang and a zing as powdery light shot out from the barrel, and stabbed Yuri's back. He toppled over, entrapped in an eerie white glow as he fell. His breathing labored as if choking, his vision blinded as he supported himself by his hands in a push-up pose. The light glowed brighter and seeped inside him, but then the brightness came back and returned inside again. The light going back and forth, working a strange magic on him.

The Oracle disappeared from his place and reappeared in front of the grounded Yuri, kneeling beside him and taking his shoulders as Yuri disappeared along with him.

Part 3

A little village nestled among the mountains. The cottages were cozy and gray in the late afternoon sun. Children were playing in front of their homes, jump roping and playing hide and seek; a quaint image of childhood. Strong men walked back and forth, carrying boards and hammering improvements on sheltered storages, one man was seen getting water out of a well. Mothers and wives finished up their laundry and curtained to hot ovens preparing for dinner.

A few paces up a hill, gravestones decorate the village's church, a gray stone place of worship endowed with stain glass windows of Mother and Child. The trees were green and flowers fashioned the tombstones that brought the graves out of misery to a more subtle serene place.

With a pop out of nowhere, the Oracle and Yuri appeared in an empty spot away from the graves in the church's side. The Oracle already left Yuri's side as he still knelt in a kissing-the-ground position. His breathing remained stable as the light continued to dim and glow, dim and glow. Each passing glow did something strange to Yuri's body. In his mind, he tried to search and call upon the monster souls. Winged beasts, scaly beasts, unholy demons passed through his mental vision and blurring away. Yuri was not aware that losing the monsters _actually _stayed inside him. Their energies covered his body about with the Oracle's light, but instead of shaping his body into a beastly form, it seemed to make his body grow.

The unusual sound of what was rippling muscles and bones could be heard. The Oracle watched the young man grow before him. He could already see he was ten feet tall, his overcoat splitting at the back and following down the sleeves until it became shambles. The rest of his outfit stayed intact as Yuri approached 20 feet, rapidly growing. He was unaware of his head approaching a stain glass window, his cowered legs pressed against some nearby trees, cracking as fast as he expanded. The tiny church became tinier as Yuri approached 40 feet on his knees; the Oracle already impressed. With a crackle and a mist of gray smoke, the Oracle was gone, out of sight as Yuri was the only one to remain.

This change went on for a few more minutes. Yuri was fully enormous by 50 feet and showed no signs of stopping. Dark creatures, as if one were to peer into his soul, immersed themselves, clinging their powers to his soul, their bodies becoming one. Yuri's growing stature provided them with thriving energy; yet their energy also fueled his growth. Everything was dim saved for Yuri keeping his eyes closed. His body came to a halt; splitting at 55 feet exact, but the swirling jamboree danced on.

A quick gasp, he stumbled with a reply, "What's going on?" A voice that became strangely stronger and deeper. "Where is he," calling to no one. He quickly came to his sense when he could see the top of the church's steeples. "What is this?? Why is the church down there??" He quickly realized that the church didn't change; he was the one that changed. "Why is this happening?!" His cries bellowed across the quiet graveyard, swooping into the small village. Yet no one seemed to come out of their homes to inspect the noise even though it was at its usual bustle minutes ago.

His world, his sight kept changing from there. Every beast he absorbed during his journey and his battles came out. Shapes appearing as various animals, unheard of mythological beasts imaginable, even his own inner energy, lead by Amon, mocked him above all the other monsters. They hissed, growled, spatting their detestment over him.

Outside, his environment as well changed. He started growing again, the church now up to his calves. His growth progressed quicker than before when the Oracle was near him; shoes taking up space where he once stood smaller, threatening to encompass the church wall. Passing some 100 feet into countless miles; the world faded away in a swirl of white light and purple darkness. Too hard to see if he continued to grow or not, if he surpassed the land, the world, the universe; everything becoming harder to see clearly again. Just as he came back to the world with a clean slate, it was threatened to be lost again . . . .

Part 4

Yuri stood in the blinding backdrop, alone with the light that reached endlessly. Then a hand appeared; it glowed brighter than imaginable as it became two hands. Music, almost like a lullaby he thought of played out of nowhere. He remembered how it made him feel, the love he felt for a special girl.

The hands were covered in soft gloves that reach in front of Yuri. But to his surprised they were six times his size as it offered themselves their comfort. Yuri was a little reluctant until he remembered who they might belong to. With one foot already on a large finger, he climbed upon them and held onto a nearby pinky.

The hands rose from the ground and approached a vision that slowly came into focus. Red lips formed and curved upon a tiny nose. Pink cheeks with dimples appeared and the eyes becoming clearer. A smiling oval face. White hair flowed behind a blue ribbon and bobbing bangs. Yuri knew who the face belonged to and opened his eyes wide, taking in her features. Alice, the best he loved about her, was smiling down at him . . .

"Hi," a young girl voice said. She looked down at him, a smile gracing her face. Her auburn hair kept back by a pink head band, a pink apron adorned her red dress. Yuri moaned as he opened his eyes further to take a full glance at her.

"W-where am I?"

"You were asleep outside of the church," she answered. "Someone saw you come here with someone else, but that someone else wasn't there. Are you alright?"

Even though he had no idea what took place or how real everything was, he only answered, "Yeah."

A short time later, a young doctor came up to the path as Yuri slowly brought himself back up.

"Excuse me," the medic called, his glasses gleaming in the setting sunlight and brushing his short brown hair aside. "Do you know of an Alice Elliott," he asked.

Yuri's eyes lit up from her name.

"What is it," he demanded.

"Please, come with me."

Inside the small infirmary, a nurse sat in a chair next to the examining table, waiting and looking over the patient until the doctor arrived back. It seemed that the patient lay lifeless, her chest laid bare after failed attempts to revive her. It was then the doctor came back, Yuri by his side, panting. Yuri looked over, to the dim space where the table was, and recognized the body. He clumsily stumbled to get to the table, still hoping that Alice was okay. Resting his hand along the edge, he lifted her small wrist with the other; nothing was felt between his fingers.

He bit his lower lip hard and slumped over the table. His sobs came out hard and wilting. His love was lost, alone in the world; the feeling worst than the monsters and the darkness chanting their animalistic cries. She sacrificed everything so that he could live, but he never thought she would be taken away. The doctor explained that she was found dead; lying among the forest path outside of the village, but Yuri heard none of his words.

Alice's limp arm was upon his hand, her fingers bent in a caressing fashion. Yuri did not slip his hand under it nor her lifeless body making any movement to place hers upon him. A final gesture of her love, with things to come.

FIN


End file.
